Carney, Poilievre to meet face-to-face as party leaders square off in first debate

Liberal Leader Mark Carney's French language skills will be put to the test, and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre will seek to turn his numbers around, when the five main federal party leaders square off in Montreal tonight in the first of two debates ahead of election day on April 28.

The two-hour French-language debate will be moderated by Radio-Canada's Patrice Roy and will focus on five themes: the cost of living, energy and climate, the trade war, identity and sovereignty, and immigration and foreign affairs. NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet are the only two leaders with previous federal debate experience, though Carney and Poilievre participated in their respective parties' leadership races. In order to participate in the debates, parties must meet two of three conditions. They must have had one seat in the House of Commons, have at least four per cent national support 28 days before the election, or have endorsed candidates in at least 90 per cent of ridings 28 days before the election.